How to Give Notice at Work

Co-authored by Shannon O'Brien, MA, EdM

Last Updated: June 9, 2021

You may be nervous about giving notice at work, even if you know you’ve made the right decision to leave. Whether you’re leaving for a new job — in which case, a congratulations is in order — or your circumstances have changed, the most important part of giving notice lies in making a graceful exit. To give notice, you need to be direct with your boss, show your gratitude toward your company, and avoid burning any bridges on your way out.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing for the Conversation with Your Boss

1
Tell your boss before anyone else. One of the most important aspects of giving notice is making sure that your boss doesn’t say “I know” when you finally give your notice. Though you may be dying to announce your new job or your intention to leave to your fifty closest co-workers, you should keep it to yourself and your family until your boss knows the score. You should do this out of respect for your boss and for the sake of professionalism.
- Don’t talk about it on social media, either. Make sure your boss and co-workers know before the world at large does.
2
Do it in person. Unless you and your boss live on opposite parts of the country, you should do your boss the service of meeting in person to discuss the fact that you’re leaving the company. Even if you’re not very close with your boss or you have some animosity toward him or her, you should make the effort to have an in-person conversation instead of sending a letter or an email. This sends the message that you take your work seriously and want to take the time and effort to leave on a good note.
- If your boss lives somewhere else, then a phone call is preferable to an email or letter.
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3
Consider what you would do if you got a counter-offer. You may be surprised by how quickly your boss may give you a counteroffer to get you to stay. Now, if your major complaint about your job is the lack of proper compensation, then this really could be a strong incentive to stay; if this is the case, then you should ask yourself what number you have in mind that would make you stay. It’s important to know this before you go into the conversation so you don’t get confused and make a mistake when the conversation comes.
- If it’s no less than 10K more per yer, then you shouldn’t settle for 5K just to make your boss happy; that said, it’s important to make this decision only if your main problem really is the lack of compensation, because money can’t cover up the other problems you may be having with your job.^{[1]
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4
Make sure you have a transition plan. Once you give your notice, your boss will want to know how you plan to wrap up your work. You should have a plan for how to finish up the projects you were working on, how to pass on duties, explain systems you might have set up, transition old clients, or do anything else to ensure that the company runs smoothly without your help. This will impress your boss and can help add some positive energy to the situation. ^{[2]
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- This will also show that you’ve put a lot of thought into leaving the company and that you care what happens there.
5
Be prepared to leave that day if necessary. While having a transition plan is a great idea, unfortunately, you may be up against an angry boss who demands that you leave right away. If this is the case, then you should be prepared to pack up your things as quickly as possible. While you shouldn’t pack up your cubicle before you talk to your boss, you should make sure to gather any important paperwork from the office in the event that you are asked to leave immediately.
- Though this doesn’t happen very often, it is possible if your boss gets angry or emotional. Be prepared for it just in case so you know what to do next.
6
Consider what you’d do if you’re asked to stay longer. It’s possible that your boss will ask you to stay an extra week or two to help the company get its footing. If you’re flexible with the start date of your new job and really care about the company doing well in your absence, then you should ask yourself if you’re prepared to do this in advance.
- If you’re absolutely committed to having some time off between jobs to get your head together, then make sure you have a firm idea of this before you talk to your boss. After all, you’re leaving and your boss can’t really force you to stay unless there is something that absolutely can’t be done without you.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Having the Talk

1
Give notice. When you talk to your boss, the most important thing is to keep it short and sweet. Simply say that you’re leaving the job, state when your last day will be, and thank him or her for the opportunity. Your boss will ask more questions and you can reveal a bit more, but you shouldn’t feel compelled to talk at length about the decision; the most important thing is that you state your decision clearly and in no uncertain terms.
- This won’t be fun or easy, but you’ll feel a sense of relief once you get the news out of the way. Don’t waste your time with small talk and come out with it.
- Make sure you choose your words carefully. State that you’re sorry to share this news and that it’s unfortunate that you’re leaving instead of saying you’re out of there.
2
Don’t make it personal. Though you may be tempted to tell your boss that you feel like your full potential was never realized, that you were always condescended to, that no one took your ideas seriously, or that the company culture stifled any attempt at fun or socializing, this really won’t get you anywhere as you get ready to leave. Save your personal complaints for your friends and try to focus on the fact that you’re advancing your career, not settling a personal score.
3
Explain as much or as little as you want to. There’s no need to go into great detail about why you’re leaving your job. If you’re quitting without another job lined up, you don’t need to explain exactly why you hate working for your boss; if you do have another job lined up, you can mention that it may help you advance your career goals without saying how much better the pay will be and that you were tired of being treated like you had no value.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Shannon O'Brien, MA, EdM
Life & Career Coach
Expert Interview. 25 May 2021.}^{[4]
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- Your boss may ask if you’re taking another job or may want to know the details of the new position. You’re not obligated to say anything, though you can mention that you’re excited for the opportunity.
4
Ask about the details. You may be so focused on just coming out with the news that you may not really be thinking about what happens next, but it’s important to ask about the logistics before you leave your boss’s office. Ask about the employee benefits and salary you’ll receive after you leave, ask about collecting your extra vacation days and sick pay, and see if you can keep, cash in, or rollover your 401K or other pension plan. If your boss is too angry or emotional, then you should ask about these as soon as possible, but you should really see if you can get answers during the meeting.^{[5]
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- It’s important to get all of the benefits you can before you leave. Don’t miss out on any compensation you deserve simply because you feel guilty about leaving.
5
Offer to help hire a replacement. If you really do care about the success of the company, then one thing you can do is to offer to help hire a replacement so that your position doesn’t stay vacant for very long. It’s likely that you know the ins and outs of your job better than anyone else, and that you can be a great asset in helping hire — and even train, if there’s time — someone to fill your shoes. This can offer a big relief to your boss and can help ease the loss.^{[6]
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- Of course, if you really feel done with the company, you aren’t required to do this. However, if you want to leave on good terms, this can be a helping factor.
6
Avoid getting emotional. It’s natural that quitting your job will give you an emotional feeling, especially if you have a lot of complicated feelings toward your job or if you’ve been working there for a long time. However, if you want things to go as smoothly as possible, then you should try to keep your cool, avoid getting angry or saying something you’ll regret, and to take deep breaths if you feel yourself losing your cool.^{[7]
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- If you and your boss have developed a close relationship, then it’s natural that you’ll feel some sadness. However, it’s important to keep your cool as much as you can so that you make your plan clearly and can’t be dissuaded.
7
Keep things positive instead of ranting. Though you may feel the need to tell your boss the ten worst qualities she possesses or to detail every single thing you absolutely hate about your job, you should avoid those kinds of thoughts. They are completely unproductive and will only make your boss angry or sad. Giving feedback while you’re at the company in hopes of things improving is one thing, but if you’re already set to leave, then focus on talking about the things you loved about the company instead of complaining or ranting.^{[8]
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- If you really have to rant about your job, tell a close friend all of the things you hated about it. Focus on the things you liked when you talk to your boss, and if you genuinely can’t think of any, then silence is the best policy here.
8
Thank the boss for all he or she has done for you. Even if the conversation doesn’t end very well, or doesn’t go very well, it’s important to leave on a note of thankfulness. Let your boss see that he or she has done so much for you and that you’re grateful for all of the opportunities that you’ve had and all the skills that you’ve gained. Make a point of looking your boss in the eye and truly saying thank you. This will leave a good impression and will make it easier to move on.
- You can even think about this in advance to cite specific examples of projects your boss has helped you on, or qualities you had built with his help.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Finishing Your Work

1
Notify your colleagues. Take the time to let your colleagues know that you’re leaving the company. You don’t have to tell each and every person that you’re leaving, and you can decide to notify people you don’t interact with frequently by email if it’s necessary. However, if there are people you’ve built connections with, or even just people you’ve been working with for years, then you may be surprised by how sad they will be to see you go. Take the time to tell them individually and to show that you really care and that you’ll miss them a lot.
- Make sure to really slow down when you give them the news. Don’t be flippant or casual about it; they are likely to be emotionally affected.
2
Don’t bad mouth the job to your former colleagues. You may feel a surge of relief about finally getting out of your job, but that doesn’t mean your colleagues feel the same way about the position. You should avoid bad-mouthing the job, saying your boss is a jerk, or saying that you can’t wait to start working somewhere new. This will set a bad tone and will leave your co-workers to be bitter and resentful that you’re leaving.^{[9]
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- This will especially make any co-workers who are on the job hunting and not seeing results feel especially bitter and jealous.
- Also, if you complain about the job to them, it may get back to your boss, which will make your relationship more difficult.
3
Stay as long as you agreed to stay. If you promised your boss that you would stay for two more weeks or even longer, then you should stick to that time frame. You want to end on a good note and not bow out early just because you’re feeling like packing up. Make a lasting impression by sticking to your final promise at this job and be proud of yourself for making an impact.
- You want your boss to serve as a positive reference for you in the future, so you shouldn’t do anything that would make him change his opinion of you.
4
Write a formal letter if necessary. Some companies will ask that you write a resignation letter even after you’ve given notice. This is to keep a statement for their records, and you should keep the note amicable, concise, and clear. All you have to do is address your boss, state that you’re resigning from your job, and state the date that you’ll be resigning on as well. You can also decide whether or not to give a reason for leaving, though there’s no need to say anything negative or to go into great detail about all of the things you don’t like about the company.^{[10]
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- Make sure you write the letter with a cool head. Your company will have it on record and can refer to it if future employers call, so you shouldn’t say anything you’ll regret later because there will be no taking it back.
5
Show gratitude. Before you leave your job, it’s important to take the time you need to thank all of the people who have helped you along the way. This can include your boss, former managers, co-workers, or even clients or anyone else you’ve interacted with in the workplace. This shows that you have put a lot of thought and appreciation into your time at work and that you’re not walking away with your nose high in the air. You can write thank you cards to show your gratitude or just take the time to show people how much you really care for them one-on-one.^{[11]
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- You may feel like your job was completely thankless and like you just want to get out of there as fast as you can. However, thanking people is also a courtesy and you should swallow your pride and find something to be thankful for.
6
Wrap up any unfinished projects. As you finish your last days at work, you should try your hardest to wrap up any unfinished business so that your boss and company have an easier time transitioning without you. You can work on wrapping up projects, helping other employees or new hires take them over, and just tie up any loose ends that couldn’t have been tied up without you. You should create a list of tasks that you need to complete before you leave your job so you don’t leave your boss stranded.
- Of course, it may not be possible to wrap up absolutely everything you did at work in the last two or three weeks of your time at the company.
7
If you announce your new job on social media, do it gracefully. You can tell people that you’re excited about starting a new job, but you should either not mention your old job or say something nice about all the things you learned. Don’t talk about how you’re so glad to be leaving that horrible place and that you’re sick of working with incompetent morons. You may not be friends with anyone from work on Facebook, but you should still be careful with what you say, because people tend to have a way to find out if you’re bad mouthing them.
- Furthermore, if your new company sees this kind of post, then there will be some questions about your loyalty or how much you can be trusted. They may be wary of developing a similar relationship with you.
8
Remain focused until your time at work is over. You may think it’s impossible to be focused during your last two weeks of work when you know you have a more exciting opportunity ahead. However, you just have to put your best foot forward and work on doing what you have to do, being friendly to coworkers, being attentive at meetings, and getting your workload done every day. You should also try to whistle while you work as much as you can — you don’t want people to remember you having a bad attitude.^{[12]
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- One of the most important things you can do is actually stay to work the whole day. Don’t leave early, or you’ll be showing off and looking like you’re too good for your job. You don’t want people to remember you like that.
9
Remember to leave a positive impression. This is the overall most important thing you need to do as you wrap up your time at your office. Even if you feel like you worked in a toxic environment where everyone was pretty mean or catty, you should take the high road and not tell people what you really think. Have a smile on your face as you finish out your last days and make sure that people remember you as a happy, hardworking person. Your boss will serve as a reference for you in the future, and you don’t want to undo all of the hard work you’ve done just by coming off as ungrateful in the last few weeks at your company.^{[13]
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- Though it may feel good to tell off a co-worker or a boss for about five seconds, severing your relationships with people can have a lasting effect on your professional career.

Community Q&A

Question

If I have a 3-month contract, can I ask to leave earlier?

Community Answer

Anything related to leaving before your contract is due will be stated in your contract under Termination of Employment.
Question

Should I give a two week notice if I have only been with a company for a few months?

Community Answer

Yes. You should always give notice when possible.
Question

If I give my two weems notice to terminate my work, how many days is that equal to?

Stephen

Top Answerer

Two weeks is equal to 14 days.